Youth killed during clashes at encounter site
5 security men also killed during encounter, 5 other injured
Srinagar: A 21-year-old civilian was killed and several others were injured in alleged government forces action near an encounter site at Babagund, Langate in Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Reports said that the youth identified as Waseem Ahmad Mir (21) son of Mohammad Akbar Mir of Zaloora suffered critical bullet wounds in his abdomen and head.
Waseem along with other injured youth were shifted to district hospital Handwara where he was declared brought dead on arrival by the doctors who attended upon him.
It was not immediately known whether the youth was among those who clashed with government forces or he was a bystander.
Earlier, five security personnel were killed during the gunfight with militants.
Police said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Babagund area of Kupwara following information about presence of militants there, the officials said.
During the searches, the militants opened fire on the security forces, who retaliated.
There was lull in firing several times during the day but militants would resume firing as soon as the security forces advanced towards the house where the ultras were hiding, the officials said.
They said that a CRPF Inspector was among five government forces personnel killed while eight others including a commandant of the paramilitary forces were injured in the gunfight.
Official sources said that when a joint search team of police, CRPF and army went to retrieve the militant bodies amid a lull, one of the two militants, earlier believed to be dead got up and fired indiscriminately leading to injuries to CRPF Inspector, a policeman and five government forces personnel including army soldiers who were removed to a hospital.
Among the injured, CRPF Inspector identified as Pintoo of 92 bn CRPF and the policeman of SOG Handwara identified as Naseer Ahmad succumbed to wounds, they said.
In the meantime, fresh gunfight resumed between the forces and the militant in which a CRPF commandant, one paramilitary personnel and a policeman were injured along with two more soldiers. All the injured were evacuated to military hospital, two of them–one CRPF personnel and a policeman–succumbed to their injuries.
The condition of CRPF commandant is stated to be serious, they said.
The operation was going when reports last came in.
The encounter broke out during midnight after the joint team of army’s 22 RR, 92 Battalion CRPF and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation at Khanan Babagund in Langate.
Reports suggest that one militant has been killed in the encounter while as one more is still holding up the troops. (with PTI and GNS inputs)
